City to pay remaining MBTA garage costs out of pocket

Friday

Apr 11, 2014 at 10:52 AMApr 11, 2014 at 11:54 AM

By Martha Shanahanmshanahan@wickedlocal.com

The City Council on Monday approved Mayor Mike Cahillís request that the city draw $500,000 from its own accounts to pay remaining costs for the construction of a new MBTA parking garage.The city had approved a 2009 plan to borrow the funds to pay its recommended share of the $25 million project, most of which will be covered by the MBTA and state and federal government.As construction on the Rantoul Street garage comes to a close months behind schedule, state officials questioned the legality of the city borrowing money to pay for it.Now half of the owed money, $250,000, will come from the cityís free cash account. Another $225,000 will be transferred from the parking meter receipts fund, and the remaining $25,000 will be transferred from fees paid for parking violations.Cahillís request also rescinded the 2009 Council order that authorized borrowing for the parking garage.The MBTA has been working with MassDOT and the City of Beverly for several years developing this project as a commuter parking garage with a future Transit Oriented Development (TOD) project.The garage structure is designed to support four levels of future development and also set back from Rantoul Street to allow for future street front development.The proposed garage is designed for 500 vehicles with parking for electric vehicles, accessible parking on each level, zip car parking, motorcycle and bicycle parking, parking control system and a covered accessible walkway to the existing Beverly Depot Station platform.The garage will incorporate poured in place concrete structure to reduce future maintenance. It is being designed to comply with Executive Order 484 - Leading By Example: Clean Energy and Efficient Buildings.When completed, the garage will have photovoltaic solar panels on the roof and is designed to use natural day-lighting with energy efficient lighting and an energy saving lighting control system.Construction on the garage began in February 2013.The project has encountered unforeseen conditions on the site, such as an abutting retaining wall that required structural reinforcing, and soil disposal sites that were closed in Massachusetts requiring additional costs for soil disposal to out of state facilities, adding time to the schedule.Along with earlier project setbacks, there were additional delays of pouring concrete due to the excessive cold and snow this past winter.With the present schedule,†an opening date is expected by mid-summer.